Concede
by nevermore199
Summary: He admitted that he was sometimes a jerk and had perhaps deserved to be slapped across the face. But he still didn't like Meroko. One shot, pre manga, sort of Izumi x Meroko.


**Hey, everyone. Sorry about being a bit slow with my chaptered stories. I've got school and semester tests to worry about right now.**

**In the meantime, though, here's an Izumi x Meroko one-shot, written purely to relieve my stress. It's basically just a take on their early relationship: their first meeting and what Meroko's first confession of love was like. Keep in mind that Izumi was a real jerk back then.**

* * *

Izumi's first impression of Meroko is that she's a strange girl.

She doesn't have the hollow-eyed look that most new Shinigami do; her eyes are bright with curiosity and another brilliant force—if they weren't dead, he would have called it life. Nor is she rude or bitingly sarcastic; although she doesn't seem like she's afraid to stand up for herself, she greets him politely and happily on their first meeting.

He doesn't particularly care, of course. The first time they meet, he simply gives her a once-over with his eyes and says indifferently, "You'll do."

She meets his gaze for a brief moment, then looks away, her face turning pink. Irritated, Izumi snaps, "What?"

"Nothing," Meroko answers quietly, her fingers twirling around the ends of her white dress.

Izumi crosses his arms. "It's obviously something, or you wouldn't be blushing like that."

Meroko's face goes even pinker. "I'm not blushing."

Izumi shakes his head and turns away. "Whatever. I don't care."

Meroko looks a little mad at this, but she simply sighs and says, "Fine."

* * *

As time goes on, Izumi believes that his first thoughts about Meroko were absolutely correct.

He sometimes wonders if she even _is_ a Shinigami, or if she's really some other kind of spirit in disguise. Because Meroko isn't anything like a Shinigami is supposed to be. She's stubborn and cheerful and hopeful, and doesn't seem to realize that she's supposed to be under an eternal punishment.

And then, something happens that makes Izumi consider the possibility that Meroko is crazy.

"I love you," she says to him one day, her face deeply flushed.

He slowly turns to face her and gives her a long stare, his eyes cold and unblinking. She looks as if she very much wants to run away, but she meets his gaze instead, to her credit.

"Whatever," he says finally, shrugging.

She blinks, an incredulous look on her face. "Huh?"

"I don't care," he says coldly.

He always remembers what happens next, because it's one of the only moments in those early days when she actually got mad at him.

"How can you say something like that?" she yells, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes. "How can you act like love isn't important to you? I _love_ you, and you're just going to act like it doesn't matter?"

She takes a deep breath, her frame shaking. "You—you're such a—"

A loud _smack_ resounds, and she lets out a horrified gasp.

He actually allows surprise to seep onto his face when he realizes that she slapped him.

* * *

She runs away after that, and doesn't come back for nearly a week. Izumi comes to her room sometimes and knocks on the door, but she doesn't come. It's only when he threatens to involve the boss that she finally cracks her door open, looking extremely hesitant and—Izumi notices—a little scared.

"Izumi," she says softly. "What do you want?"

Izumi gives a slightly frustrated sigh, putting his hand against the wall. "Would you get out here already? I'm sick of having to do assignments on my own. I have things to do, you know."

She bites her lip. "I…"

"I'm not mad at you for hitting me."

Her eyes widen, and the door edges open a little more. "You're…you're not?"

"No." Izumi sighs again. "I won't say I didn't deserve it, either. I know that I can be a jerk." He rubs his cheek with one hand. "You don't have to apologize."

"Izumi…"

"Next time you're mad, stick to yelling."

"Oh, _Izumi_!"

The door flies open, and Meroko throws herself out of the doorway, and her arms wrap around Izumi in a fierce hug.

"H-Hey!" he says, startled.

"Thank you, Izumi!" she shouts happily. "Thank you, thank you! I love you _so_ much!"

"Get—off!"

She backs up, blushing. "Um…I guess I got a little carried away." A sheepish smile comes to her face.

Izumi turns away. "It doesn't matter. Come on; we've got three assignments today and I'm tired of doing them."

Meroko beams and jumps forward. "Okay!"

"Oh, and Meroko?"

"Yes?"

"Never hug me again."

**

* * *

Well, there you go. It's not really fluff, but it makes me happy all the time.**

**I'm kind of proud of Meroko for slapping Izumi, even though they're the best couple ever. Izumi is cool, but sometimes he needs a good slap across the face to remind him that he's not the only person with feelings.**

**RRE.**


End file.
